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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
This was an interesting story about a time when sand has covered the area. I believe the area it was set was supposed to be near where I live (Colorado). So I was trying to picture where it might be. I thought the ending was a bit abrupt and would have liked to know more about what happened next. I would also like to know more about how the world came to be this way.
A fun fact about me: I am DEATHLY afraid of not being able to breath normally. I have trouble snorkeling and my single attempt at snuba diving ended in a full on panic attack under the water. My heart starts to race when I even imagine myself scuba diving. I am also incredibly claustrophobic and the thought of being confined in small or deep spaces makes me dizzy, to the point where I can barely handle an elevator ride.
It’s truly a wonder I found someone to marry me.
Fast forward to a week ago when I sat down and eagerly began reading Sand, only to discover that the story centers around sand divers. What are sand divers you ask? Sand divers are exactly the same as scuba divers except that, you guessed it, they dive in the sand instead of the water. I probably should have gleaned this fact from the jacket, but really I just saw another book with Howey’s name on it, geeked out and added it to my TBR without a second thought.
Howey is a master world builder, and Sand is no exception. It’s a gritty, bleak, dystopian nightmare set in a future Colorado, that I read with a shortness of breath and a pounding heart. There were times when sheer anxiety begged me to put it down, but the characters sucked me in almost immediately, just like in Wool and I found myself unable to comply.
I am not going to say much more because I find it best to go into one of Howey’s creations with as little information as possible. My only complaint is the number of unanswered questions regarding the world building I was left with after finishing. I want to know how the world got to the state it was in, and if it was the whole planet, or just the parts where the characters live. He posted on his blog back in 2015 that he was working on a sequel, but I have not seen any information since then. Just like with Wool, I was satisfied with the conclusion of the story, though I would love to continue to read about these characters. More than anything, I think a prequel would be awesome. Keeping my fingers crossed for more to come.
I recommend this one 100 percent and will continue to read everything he puts out. This is a perfect read for being stuck inside on a rainy or snowy day. You won’t be able to put it down once you start, so prepare snacks and get comfortable.
It’s truly a wonder I found someone to marry me.
Fast forward to a week ago when I sat down and eagerly began reading Sand, only to discover that the story centers around sand divers. What are sand divers you ask? Sand divers are exactly the same as scuba divers except that, you guessed it, they dive in the sand instead of the water. I probably should have gleaned this fact from the jacket, but really I just saw another book with Howey’s name on it, geeked out and added it to my TBR without a second thought.
Howey is a master world builder, and Sand is no exception. It’s a gritty, bleak, dystopian nightmare set in a future Colorado, that I read with a shortness of breath and a pounding heart. There were times when sheer anxiety begged me to put it down, but the characters sucked me in almost immediately, just like in Wool and I found myself unable to comply.
I am not going to say much more because I find it best to go into one of Howey’s creations with as little information as possible. My only complaint is the number of unanswered questions regarding the world building I was left with after finishing. I want to know how the world got to the state it was in, and if it was the whole planet, or just the parts where the characters live. He posted on his blog back in 2015 that he was working on a sequel, but I have not seen any information since then. Just like with Wool, I was satisfied with the conclusion of the story, though I would love to continue to read about these characters. More than anything, I think a prequel would be awesome. Keeping my fingers crossed for more to come.
I recommend this one 100 percent and will continue to read everything he puts out. This is a perfect read for being stuck inside on a rainy or snowy day. You won’t be able to put it down once you start, so prepare snacks and get comfortable.
I liked this one and am hoping for a follow up story on Vic, Palmer, Conner, Rob and Violet. I found the premise of this extremely interesting, if not a little bit terrifying. Very good entry into the genre.
“And so it went, sand piling up to the heavens and homes sinking toward hell.”
Sand is a sci-fi story in the same vein as Howey's previous Wool series, set in a scary dystopian future. This one, however, despite being exceptionally well-written, falls short of greatness.
The plot doesn't ever seem to go anywhere -- nowhere interesting anyway. There is a lackluster feeling to the world-building, and a lack of threat because of this. In this world, the characters live in a desert, and make their living by diving through sand as if it's water to collect treasures buried under the dunes. An interesting concept, but the society around it was not explained much, and I am left unsure of how their society actually functions.
The characters were great though. The focus was on a family of 4 siblings, and I loved seeing their dynamics and how they played off each other. There was a lot a nuance to the characters and their relationships.
Hugh Howey is an excellent writer. There were so many beautifully crafted sentences and paragraphs, and riveting action scenes. The dive scenes were horrifying and enthralling. I was constantly feeling in awe of how good Howey's writing style is. Despite the lack of world building, Sand developed a gritty atmosphere that I enjoyed. I'm looking forward to reading more of his work, but I hope they're more balanced.
I was under the impression that Sand tied into Wool in someway, but I couldn't find a connection. It's possible that the buried cities are the Silo's, but it wasn't used for any effect. Could have been any old city, and it wouldn't make a difference. I was disappointed at the false advertising.
All in all, I would recommend the Wool trilogy over this. But, if you read and enjoyed that this might just fill the void.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a difficult story to pin down. Not much on the cover or blurb gave much away about its content; the beginning was an adventure exploration which was then completely abandoned for the rest of the book. In fact, the main plot of the story didn't really become apparent until well over halfway. However, both the characters and setting were strong enough to make that not matter too much. Yes, I was stuck with a sense of "What is going on?" but the characters made me care and the fascinating sand-diving technology and implementations were really enjoyable with some surprising uses.
My main issue was the sudden conclusion to the story. I was a couple of pages from the end thinking "this is not going to get wrapped up in time" then it did, but all off-page. The conclusion made sense, but I felt left out of it. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a sequel chronicling the lead up to the end event. I would certainly welcome one.
My main issue was the sudden conclusion to the story. I was a couple of pages from the end thinking "this is not going to get wrapped up in time" then it did, but all off-page. The conclusion made sense, but I felt left out of it. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a sequel chronicling the lead up to the end event. I would certainly welcome one.
A wonderful read with an interesting, very unique world, real gritty characters, and a plotline that doesn't pause. Several questions are left unanswered in the end, but not in a frustrating way. They seem unimportant by the end, so I was happy to ignore them and feel like the story finished well.